--- title: "Massachusetts Executor Checklist: First 30 Days | MCC" description: "Massachusetts executor checklist: first 30 days, up to $25,000 small estate limit, 30-day wait, no notary on the official form, official court links." url: "https://mcc-solutionsnj.com/notary/massachusetts-executor-checklist" --- Executor checklist · Massachusetts # Massachusetts executor and estate paperwork checklist The first 30 days, the small estate route, the will at probate, and the official pages to ask, from this state's own court and statute pages. **Quick answer.** In the first 30 days, an executor in Massachusetts orders certified death certificates, finds the original will, secures the home, car and mail, lists what the person owned and owed, and holds off on paying debts until it's clear who has authority. For the small estate route, Massachusetts's official pages give a limit of up to $25,000, a 30-day wait after the death and no notary on the official form; it goes through the court. ✓ New Jersey commissioned notary, no. 50244803, insured for errors and omissions. [See the credentials](/about/credentials) **Short answer.** Massachusetts: up to $25,000 small estate limit; 30-day wait; no notary on the official form; filed through the court; 2 will witnesses; self-proving affidavit allowed. 11 of 11 state facts below are confirmed on official pages. **This is an organizer, not legal advice.** An estate attorney or the county probate/surrogate office answers questions about your situation. ## The first 30 days Plain steps that apply wherever the person lived, with the small estate dates for this state. Ticks stay on your screen only. - **Order certified death certificates**Through the funeral director or the vital records office. Order several: banks, insurers, pension plans and the court may each want one. - **Confirm the death was reported to Social Security**Usually the funeral home does this. If it didn't, phone 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778); a widow or widower, or certain children, may qualify for $255. - **Locate the signed will and any changes**The signed original matters more than a copy. Keep it whole and somewhere safe, and note who else has a copy. - **Look at the last pages of the will**A sworn statement signed by the witnesses before an officer may be attached; what this state says about it is below. - **Secure the home, car and mail**Lock up, keep the insurance in force, photograph valuables and forward the mail to yourself. - **Don't pay bills or hand out belongings yet**First learn which route fits and who is allowed to act; ask the probate office or an attorney about anything urgent. - **Stop using the person's power of attorney**A power of attorney ends at the principal's death, so an agent under it can't act for the estate. - **List what the person owned and owed**Note how each asset is held: in the person's name alone, jointly, or with a named beneficiary. Accounts with a beneficiary or joint owner usually pass outside the will. - **Compare the estate with $25,000**That's the small estate figure on this state's official page. Count only what the page says counts. - **Mark day 30 after the death**The small estate route opens 30 days after the death, per the official page. - **Keep an account of every transaction**Write down each payment and each deposit with the date and a receipt; heirs and the court may ask to see it. - **When appointed, get an EIN and open an estate account**Pay estate bills from that account only. Form 1041 is due if the estate has more than $600 of gross income in a year (IRS). Sources for the federal steps: [Social Security Administration: When someone dies](https://ssa.gov/personal-record/when-someone-dies) · [IRS: Deceased taxpayers, filing the estate income tax return (Form 1041)](https://www.irs.gov/individuals/deceased-taxpayers-filing-the-estate-income-tax-return-form-1041) · power of attorney: [Power of attorney at a real estate closing](/notary/guides/power-of-attorney-at-a-real-estate-closing). ## The small estate route - #### ConfirmedSmall estate limit Personal property only, worth $25,000 or less not counting the value of a car."$25,000 or less (excluding the value of a car)"Vehicles aren't counted toward this limit; they're handled separately. Sources: [Mass.gov: Instructions for voluntary administration with or without a will (MPC 961)](https://www.mass.gov/info-details/instructions-for-voluntary-administration-with-or-without-a-will-mpc-961); [Probate and Family Court: Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170), Spanish/English version (rev. 4/15/2016, PDF)](https://www.mass.gov/doc/declaracion-voluntaria-de-administracion-segun-la-seccion-3-1201-cap-190b-de-las-leyes-generales-voluntary-administration-statement-mpc170/download), checked November 2026 - #### ConfirmedReal estate Real estate in the person's name alone takes the estate out of this procedure. Sources: [Mass.gov: Instructions for voluntary administration with or without a will (MPC 961)](https://www.mass.gov/info-details/instructions-for-voluntary-administration-with-or-without-a-will-mpc-961); [Probate and Family Court: Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170), Spanish/English version (rev. 4/15/2016, PDF)](https://www.mass.gov/doc/declaracion-voluntaria-de-administracion-segun-la-seccion-3-1201-cap-190b-de-las-leyes-generales-voluntary-administration-statement-mpc170/download), checked November 2026 - #### ConfirmedWaiting period after the death 30 days. Thirty days or more after the death."Thirty (30) days or more have passed from the date of the decedent's death." Sources: [Mass.gov: Instructions for voluntary administration with or without a will (MPC 961)](https://www.mass.gov/info-details/instructions-for-voluntary-administration-with-or-without-a-will-mpc-961); [Probate and Family Court: Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170), Spanish/English version (rev. 4/15/2016, PDF)](https://www.mass.gov/doc/declaracion-voluntaria-de-administracion-segun-la-seccion-3-1201-cap-190b-de-las-leyes-generales-voluntary-administration-statement-mpc170/download), checked November 2026 - #### ConfirmedNotary or oath The official form doesn't call for a notary. The Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170) is signed under the penalties of perjury; the court's bilingual version has no notary block."FIRMADO BAJO PENA DE PERJURIO" Source: [Probate and Family Court: Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170), Spanish/English version (rev. 4/15/2016, PDF)](https://www.mass.gov/doc/declaracion-voluntaria-de-administracion-segun-la-seccion-3-1201-cap-190b-de-las-leyes-generales-voluntary-administration-statement-mpc170/download), checked November 2026 - #### ConfirmedWhere the paperwork goes Through a court office. The statement is filed with the Probate and Family Court in the county where the person lived."the county Probate and Family Court" Sources: [Mass.gov: Instructions for voluntary administration with or without a will (MPC 961)](https://www.mass.gov/info-details/instructions-for-voluntary-administration-with-or-without-a-will-mpc-961); [Probate and Family Court: Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170), Spanish/English version (rev. 4/15/2016, PDF)](https://www.mass.gov/doc/declaracion-voluntaria-de-administracion-segun-la-seccion-3-1201-cap-190b-de-las-leyes-generales-voluntary-administration-statement-mpc170/download), checked November 2026 - #### ConfirmedOfficial form Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170). With the instructions (MPC 961) from the Probate and Family Court. Sources: [Mass.gov: Instructions for voluntary administration with or without a will (MPC 961)](https://www.mass.gov/info-details/instructions-for-voluntary-administration-with-or-without-a-will-mpc-961); [Probate and Family Court: Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170), Spanish/English version (rev. 4/15/2016, PDF)](https://www.mass.gov/doc/declaracion-voluntaria-de-administracion-segun-la-seccion-3-1201-cap-190b-de-las-leyes-generales-voluntary-administration-statement-mpc170/download), checked November 2026 - #### ConfirmedSimplified court procedure Voluntary administration: A statement filed with the Probate and Family Court lets a voluntary administrator collect and distribute a small personal-property estate. Sources: [Mass.gov: Instructions for voluntary administration with or without a will (MPC 961)](https://www.mass.gov/info-details/instructions-for-voluntary-administration-with-or-without-a-will-mpc-961); [Probate and Family Court: Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170), Spanish/English version (rev. 4/15/2016, PDF)](https://www.mass.gov/doc/declaracion-voluntaria-de-administracion-segun-la-seccion-3-1201-cap-190b-de-las-leyes-generales-voluntary-administration-statement-mpc170/download), checked November 2026 - #### ConfirmedWorth knowing The instructions require the estate to consist entirely of personal property, so real estate in the estate takes it out of voluntary administration. Sources: [Mass.gov: Instructions for voluntary administration with or without a will (MPC 961)](https://www.mass.gov/info-details/instructions-for-voluntary-administration-with-or-without-a-will-mpc-961); [Probate and Family Court: Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170), Spanish/English version (rev. 4/15/2016, PDF)](https://www.mass.gov/doc/declaracion-voluntaria-de-administracion-segun-la-seccion-3-1201-cap-190b-de-las-leyes-generales-voluntary-administration-statement-mpc170/download), checked November 2026 ## The will at probate When the will goes to the court, these signing rules are what it is checked against. - #### ConfirmedWitnesses the will needed Two witnesses, who saw the signing or the testator's acknowledgment."at least 2 individuals" Sources: [M.G.L. c.190B, 2-502, Execution; witnessed wills (Massachusetts Legislature)](https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleII/Chapter190B/Section2-502); [M.G.L. c.190B, 2-504, Self-proved will (Massachusetts Legislature)](https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleII/Chapter190B/Section2-504); [M.G.L. c.190B, 2-505, Who may witness (Massachusetts Legislature)](https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleII/Chapter190B/Section2-505); [M.G.L. c.190B, 2-501, Who may make will (Massachusetts Legislature)](https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleII/Chapter190B/ArticleII/Section2-501); [Nolo (secondary source): How to Make a Will in Massachusetts (Nolo, updated September 2025)](https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/massachusetts-make-will-31818.html), checked November 2026 - #### ConfirmedSelf-proving affidavit Allowed at signing or later, before an officer authorized to administer oaths where it is signed."before an officer authorized to administer oaths" Sources: [M.G.L. c.190B, 2-502, Execution; witnessed wills (Massachusetts Legislature)](https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleII/Chapter190B/Section2-502); [M.G.L. c.190B, 2-504, Self-proved will (Massachusetts Legislature)](https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleII/Chapter190B/Section2-504); [M.G.L. c.190B, 2-505, Who may witness (Massachusetts Legislature)](https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleII/Chapter190B/Section2-505); [M.G.L. c.190B, 2-501, Who may make will (Massachusetts Legislature)](https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleII/Chapter190B/ArticleII/Section2-501); [Nolo (secondary source): How to Make a Will in Massachusetts (Nolo, updated September 2025)](https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/massachusetts-make-will-31818.html), checked November 2026 - #### ConfirmedIf the will is handwritten Not recognized, per Nolo's Massachusetts page (updated September 2025), citing G.L. c. 190B, 2-502."Massachusetts doesn't permit holographic wills" Sources: [M.G.L. c.190B, 2-502, Execution; witnessed wills (Massachusetts Legislature)](https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleII/Chapter190B/Section2-502); [Nolo (secondary source): How to Make a Will in Massachusetts (Nolo, updated September 2025)](https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/massachusetts-make-will-31818.html), checked November 2026 - #### ConfirmedA witness who inherits The will stays valid, but a gift to a witness or the witness's spouse is void unless two other witnesses who get nothing similar also signed, or the witness shows no fraud or undue influence."a devise to a witness or a spouse of such witness shall be void" Sources: [M.G.L. c.190B, 2-502, Execution; witnessed wills (Massachusetts Legislature)](https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleII/Chapter190B/Section2-502); [M.G.L. c.190B, 2-504, Self-proved will (Massachusetts Legislature)](https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleII/Chapter190B/Section2-504); [M.G.L. c.190B, 2-505, Who may witness (Massachusetts Legislature)](https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleII/Chapter190B/Section2-505); [M.G.L. c.190B, 2-501, Who may make will (Massachusetts Legislature)](https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleII/Chapter190B/ArticleII/Section2-501); [Nolo (secondary source): How to Make a Will in Massachusetts (Nolo, updated September 2025)](https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/massachusetts-make-will-31818.html), checked November 2026 ## Want us to handle it? We order certified records, pick up and deliver documents, get the small estate affidavit signed and notarized, and file papers near where the estate is, in any state. We are not lawyers. **Price:** Quote-based, from $199 per job plus government and court fees at cost. Starting rates. Your exact price is quoted after we confirm a local notary/runner, before you pay. [Ask for estate paperwork help](/notary/estate-paperwork-help-out-of-state#request) ## Documents to gather - Deeds and mortgage statements - Vehicle titles and registrations - Recent bank, brokerage and retirement statements - Life insurance policies and annuities - The last few years of tax returns - Recent bills, loan and credit card statements - Pension, Social Security and benefit letters - Safe deposit box location and keys - Certified death certificates - The original will and any codicils - The official small estate form: Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170) ## Who to notify Credit card companies, Pension or employer, Social Security (if the funeral home hasn't), Banks and credit unions, Brokerage and retirement accounts, Life insurance companies, Utilities and phone, Landlord or mortgage servicer. Send a short letter with a copy of the death certificate, and keep a log of who you told and when. ## Documents needed abroad - #### ConfirmedA death certificate needed abroad Apostilles for this state's documents come from the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Commissions Section. $6 per document. Vital records: An original signature of a city or town clerk (or assistant) or the Registrar of Vital Records. Source: [Secretary of the Commonwealth, Commissions Section](https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/commissions/apostilles.htm), checked November 2026 ## Where to ask An estate attorney or the county probate/surrogate office answers questions about your situation. Official pages for Massachusetts: - [Probate and Family Court: Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170), Spanish/English version (rev. 4/15/2016, PDF)](https://www.mass.gov/doc/declaracion-voluntaria-de-administracion-segun-la-seccion-3-1201-cap-190b-de-las-leyes-generales-voluntary-administration-statement-mpc170/download) Massachusetts kit ## Massachusetts Executor and Estate Kit This checklist as printable Word and PDF files: a start-here guide, the first 30 days, the small estate route with its official links, a documents and accounts tracker, plain notification letters (bank, utilities, Social Security), and an Excel estate ledger for assets, debts, payments and distributions. [Get the kit, $25](/toolkits/ma-executor-kit) General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. We are not lawyers, and MCC Solutions is not a law firm. An estate attorney or the county probate/surrogate office answers questions about your situation. Facts checked November 2026. ## Common questions **Is there a small estate route in Massachusetts?** On the official pages we read: Personal property only, worth $25,000 or less not counting the value of a car. Through a court office. The statement is filed with the Probate and Family Court in the county where the person lived. **How soon after the death can the Massachusetts small estate paperwork be used?** 30 days. Thirty days or more after the death. **Does the small estate paperwork in Massachusetts need a notary?** The official form doesn't call for a notary. The Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170) is signed under the penalties of perjury; the court's bilingual version has no notary block. **Is there an official Massachusetts form?** Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170). With the instructions (MPC 961) from the Probate and Family Court. Link: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/instructions-for-voluntary-administration-with-or-without-a-will-mpc-961 **How many witnesses did a will in Massachusetts need?** Two witnesses, who saw the signing or the testator's acknowledgment. **What about a self-proving affidavit in Massachusetts?** Allowed at signing or later, before an officer authorized to administer oaths where it is signed. **Who answers questions about an estate in Massachusetts?** An estate attorney or the county probate/surrogate office answers questions about your situation. The official pages behind this checklist: Probate and Family Court: Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170), Spanish/English version (rev. 4/15/2016, PDF). Remember the 30-day wait before the small estate route. Related: [Executor guide by state](/notary/executor-guide-by-state) · [Small estate affidavit details](/notary/small-estate-affidavit-massachusetts) · [Will signing requirements](/notary/will-signing-requirements-massachusetts) · [Estate paperwork help](/notary/estate-paperwork-help-out-of-state) ## Family far from the estate? [See estate paperwork help](/notary/estate-paperwork-help-out-of-state)[Call (908) 444-6373](tel:+19084446373)